this afternoon i had a "crazy" idea….i get crazy ideas sometimes…spontaneous…ideas for me come from being happy and "playful" or they can come from being "down"….this one comes from the afternoon sun streaming through the window and lighting up the room….good light..happy…great light….
i am chatting with some friends and i literally jump up in the middle of the conversation to come over here and get this thought "down on paper"…sometimes ideas that come to me this way go away quickly…other times they "stick" and i act upon them…
ok….so how about if i were to start "publishing" some of your work here?? as i do with my workshop students….maybe on a new page…
so many of you are asking for online portfolio reviews, but this is getting impossible for me to do properly …simply, there are a lot of you….opening a website and navigating through takes so much time if i am really going to give a photographer an honest appraisal…besides, this online review concept will best be done through the upcoming Magnum program…
surely we have an astute audience …just read the mail..magazine editors, established photographers from all the best agencies, some gallerists and a plethora of emerging photographers…..we have a sophisticated international community….not hobbyists….not "gearheads"….but thinkers, conceptualizers
again, this is part of my overall concept of letting the "readers collaborate"…..the "inmates in charge of the asylum"…..yes, crazy just like i said….
well, this will not be a contest…..because there are no prizes and i will be the only "judge"…..and i will publish randomly either one picture from a photographer or an entire essay…. i promise to pay you nothing, because i simply have nothing to pay….at least, for the moment….so, this would be just an "experiment"….to see how this audience really "looks" ….we already have a pretty good idea of how we think with words…
i must now work on submission parameters and create or use an existing uploading site..something that makes it relatively uncomplicated to view large quantities of work….PLEASE do not send me anything yet….and i have no idea from a practical standpoint how much work this will draw or how much work it will be for me…..so maybe i will just try this once and see how it goes…after all, i am only "a one man band"….this could be daunting or it could be fun….i will only do it if it is fun….
what do you think???
That’s a great idea!….just a comment…you can put some maximum amount of work for submission and some mimimum and maximum size for image size…otherwise you’ll receive so many submissions that the blog will probably go down…My experience have been that a 72dpi image…450 pixels witdh x 360 pixels high looks very good in a blog and it’s an easy upload where you can put 4 or 5 in the same email…
This will be great…sometimes after I read a post I go to the website of that person if I have the time to do that because the post are many…
I hope you’re having a great time with your family.
saludos.
Carlos
carlos….
yes, we have been thinking about all of this…the pictures will not be coming to me through email anyway…..they would go to a ftp site..
anyway, all of your suggestions are welcomed…
saludos, david
Sounds awesome David – best o’ luck!
David
What about slideshows (aka “soundslides”)? It’s a powerful and compelling way to present, very suitable for weblogs and for this purpose you are suggesting.
Either if it’s a photo essay, a selection of pictures, a reportage… It’s always the most pleasant way to present if more than a couple of pictures are involved.
The question will be: do “applicants” submit the pre-formatted pictures, the slideshow itself (inside certain parameters like width, height and length), or any of both ways? I think this last option would be the most interesting, since some will certainly prefer to adjust things like timing and soundtrack to their preferences.
This is fabulous David! I took one of your NG workshops in San Miguel and hope that I’ve made improvements since then! I’d love to send my work in. The test comes in trying to find the “right” selections that represent my growth. Now I feel sufficiently challenged and a bit intimidated!
What about putting them on Flickr? It’s free.
We could tag them or send you the link. Won’t use up any of your bandwidth, won’t give you any management headaches.
And you can link to the photos from your blog.
If people want you to judge a portfolio, they can create a Flickr gallery and send you that link instead.
Soundslides are cool, but the RIAA could go after you David, esp because you’ve got Magnum behind you. IMHO it’s not worth the potential headache.
In addition to receiving your valuable critique on a given portfolio, I think it would be educational for all of us to see others’ portfolios (or at least DAH-selected photos) in parallel with your comments. I think that’s what you have in mind?
We’ve had some great beach weather up here in Boston recently. I hope the weather’s great wherever you are.
Thanks,
Asher
I’m sure it’ll be no surprise to hear that I think this is a great idea!
So many possibilities. I don’t know…maybe a “Photo Critique Wednesday”. Every first Wednesday of the month everyone sends into an FTP site about let’s say 5 images of what they feel is their best work to date…and about a week later or so you post what you feel is the best, what you feel has potential, and what you feel doesn’t quite work and why…or something like that. Again, so many possibilities.
Just some thoughts.
-MK
Hi David,
I was hoping to hear some of this. I actually have an idea for a project that I would love to publish, and it is in its childhood right now. But when you come to Seoul I will show you what I have so far and maybe we can discuss how I would like to develop it. If thats ok with you. Ofcourse I would love to hear your input on what is lacking, what is good, what needs to be added to get a good body of work:)
I’ve noticed that the other parts of this site have not changed in several days–there is a lot of work involved with this blog already. Can you utilize the Student Work page on this blog to showcase as you have in the past?
lee….
good point….but keeping up four blogs is really not so much a time thing as a material thing…for example, i do not always have student work available (where is yours??) to me nor do i always have work in progress…at different times, for different reasons i have material for the various sections….
reader entries will provide a wealth of material and if submitted with limits and sized properly it might be doable…but, as i said, maybe i try it once to see how it goes….it still seems easier and more valuable than me trying to open up everyone’s web site…besides the emphasis i think would be on freshly produced work to add a little “edge”….
but overall i do have to think carefully about my time and how i spend it…so far, so good…..i have been able to get my own work done and still be here with little problem…blogging without working would never work…
You have the work from me you requested some time back. I sent it in before I was in NY and we missed each other. You requested the cowboy stuff…I also have a web site that is noted under each of my entries of the blog but as you say (and I find myself) it is hard to constantly be looking through sites.
Maybe you ask for one photo from the bloggers on a particular topic. Like your workshop on the Art of the Photo Essay. See what people’s entries are and what photo they pick to represent whatever you are asking. For example, just this past one on family photos. A rather tame topic but a good example to work with. You have a FTP site where we can upload one photo that best represents our capture of family. Give us a theme or ask for a theme. One photo to represent whatever the topic, is much more difficult to do than 7-8 in your Photo Essay workshops. You go through them and pick the ones that you feel fit the theme/essay. Maybe once a week entries….
Just a thought. You are up late. Today I found your Cuba photos in the 1999 NG in my attorney’s office. Just sitting there pretty as you please. I have seen the photos of course but not in the article. Good work.
Nice idea David! :-)
I just think we shouldn’t upload too many pictures… From my experience when i see a lot off pictures (which not all are very good) i give up and don’t feel to see whole website… so better put less but the stronges pictures :-) I would rather to present one strong picture than 10 average pictures between other 10000 average pictures :-)
Lukasz… i don’t think Flickr is good idea.. Flickr already exist also not everybody look there at peoples pictures – it’s too much photographers and too much pictures… David’s project sounds a lot more prestigious
David, great idea! We met two times in Milan at Fnac workshop..
I think using flickr could be the best and easist think. Aga, I know there’ s a lot of crap on flickr, but 1) it’ s great platform, and we all can use it. 2) we can create a group just for us 3) david can create comments both on flickr in the “comment” section and on his blog. 4) you can even add notes on some parts of the pictures…
anyway, the idea is great (and brave) david, we will find the best execution
nik
http://didumpa.typepad.com/
Hi David, sound great !!
Use Flickr, why?
It’s simple .. you MUSTN’T build a platform, you MUSTN’T received email, you MUSTN’T spent much time, you can great a group with invite only for the people that read the blog, we can post in a pool or a topic with our work, later if you like some picture you can copy and past the link in your blog and i’ll be show, i have created this group for example … and it is a great experience for me http://www.flickr.com/groups/youngtalent/
bye bye
“we have a great audience …..editors from the top magazines, well known photographers from all the best agencies, some gal
lerists and the best of the emerging photographers spend time with us here….just read the mail….we have a first class community…”
… i think this is this place.. not flickr.. i am not sure editors will go to see our pictures on flick…
but we will see .. David is the boss ;-) :-)
Aga, it would be a lot easier to use flickr, otherwise David will have to build a website for it – not difficult but someone will have to build it. flickr will be much easier to start using.
Great Idea Dave , I’d like to put some pics to the names ,why not try Digital railroad as an upload platform?
Glenn.. good idea! DRR sounds more professional :-)
If David will choose Digitalrailroad i am sure they can be a sponsor and make it for free…
(David, i am sure you have contacts to DRR but if you don’t have i can contact with my friend – he is working in DRR europe, if any need let me know plz)
hi david,
i think thats a great idea. however you decide to go with the delivery of pictures, you can count me in.
all the best – hope you’re enjoying the holiday.
jason.
David,
Great idea but how would you ever manage it with your current workload? Here are some concepts that are going through my head right now:
1. Flickr – ok, but only if the initial submissions are private and not viewable to public. You can give out an flickr e-mail to a candidate where he/she sends the pictures and instruct to use a TAG line in the message which will associate those pictures with the submitter. For example my emailed submission would have subject Picture1, and body of the e-mail would say Tag: “Rene Braun”. This way you could with minimal effort search your flickr account for Rene Braun and then dump it to a new folder.
2. Each submitee should probably send a $1 dollar donation to maintain the cost of the pro flickr account.
3. Amount of photos: I suggest you tell people to send 10 photos labeled Picture1, Picture2, Picturex…. You just look at them on flickr (or wherever) and delete those that don’t cut the mustard. Then e-mail the submitter to send replacement for Picturex that you nuked. Perhaps give them three rounds (three e-mails from you to them) After the three rounds you pic top 5 pictures out of the 10 and publish them with your input. Or you inform the submitter to keep improving and not publish the pictures on your blog, delete them from the flickr account. You never make those pictures public on Flickr. Flickr would be there only as a manageable bucket.
4. Spam: If you start getting submissions from people you did not invite … i.e. the e-mail address leaked out… you simply re-set it in flickr and send the new one to the new candidates.
This way you spend minimum time browsing and only keep the work worthy DAH scrutiny. Of course you can delegate some work to a ‘helper’, such you only go and nuke pictures you don’t like and the ‘helper’ would then send e-mail to the submitter to re-submit new picture in place of Picturex.
That’s my brainstorm for you this morning. Have a great day.
i think the whole point would be to have a place where discriminating viewers could come to see a nice tight edit of your very best….and with your story….and with honest reviews and comments by all of us…
there are no shortages of places where we can all see work….it is raining pictures out there…there are sophisticated high tech websites like Media Storm where you can already see great stories…
but, i want this to be “up close and personal”….both a learning experience and a venue for “leading edge” photography….
i know from my experience that editors really like to see how someone works within a given time frame…not just how many good pictures they have in their portfolio, but how they think, act,and react under a given editorial or aesthetic framework…
so maybe i give you say two or three weeks to shoot something..something of your choice…perhaps adding to an existing project or assignment….there will definitely a limit on how many pictures you may submit…
as i said, this would be a concise showcase for you presented in a manageable “portfolio” or essay style…an edited anthology of the best of the best…
i will study Flickr and Digital Railroad for this purpose and consider other possibilities as well…
in september i will be making a big push for funding for you as per suggested in my previous articles…this will give funders an idea of exactly who is really here without having to open 1000 websites and will show them the level of the work of my readership..
make sense??
ok, now i really do have to pack my flipflops and frisbee and head for the beach…during this two weeks please think…i will think….i will totally stay tuned to your comments….
i will get back to you again here by sunday or monday…
peace, david
DAvid,
Of course it’s a great idea…but maybe it needs a touch of fine-tuning in order to sort out parameters and expectations. for me, the attraction would be in seeing perhaps relatively limited quantities of work, with you as sort of editor-in-chief and arbiter and everyone else offering a kind of peer review. There are *far* too few places online — paradoxically — where one can anticipate intelligent discussion of PICTURES rather than gear or whatever…
I would have thought it could be done in keeping with the way you tend to work on this blog anyway. You have a tendency to intoduce topics/ideas for wider discussion and comment and this would be a sort of extension of that — you arbitrate and edit what gets shown; you prhaps say a few words about what impresses you about the work and offer the picture/s up for wider comment.
As other posters have noted, the absolutely key issue is how much time/energy you personally want to put into this.
Oh, and one final thing, if at all possible and it doesn’t create disproportionate burdens or expense, I think it would be preferable to have the ‘community gallery’ hosted as a part of the DAH blog… That to me would be more in keeping with the kind of community you are doing your damndest to build here.
very best,
alun
David,
Thanks for thinking of us. I love this idea, and you can count on my support in any way needed.
All the best,
Jeff
David,
I love this idea as well as your enthusiasm and interest in emerging photographers. Attitudes like yours are what is going to keep photojournalism alive and growing to new levels.
I like the idea of having a time limit to shoot, because it be much more valuable to get feedback on how we shoot, work with subjects and tell stories right now as apposed to just a have people see our portfolio of our career’s greatest hits.
Thanks,
Ben
alun..
yes, everything you say is exactly what i intend…the essays etc would be part of this blog….
as far as my time is concerned, i will just have to find out….i roughly divide my time now into one third teaching, one third shooting on assignments, one third producing my books….as long as the online part fits into the one third teaching part, then i think i will be fine…anyway, no harm done in finding out!!!
rene…
interesting thoughts….i will investigate all possibilities including this one…thanks so much for thinking
glenn and aga….
evan nisselson who runs Digital Railroad is a friend of mine, so i will check to see what he can do and will do for us…
David,
Brilliant idea!
I think DRR would be the way to go. That way you can edit, set up assistants, etc without having to keep track of any files on your end. Plus, you could either showcase work there, or set up a feed to send images into your blog (I’m sure it can be done.) The DRR work could be invisible or public, but I think it would be the solution that keeps your time invested down. You can edit in lightboxes, set up captioning guidelines and specs for submissions etc. You could also delegate tasks out for others if you need the help.
Let me know if I can be of any help.
Best,
Aric
Tome Duarte, gave a good ideia, soundslides seems amazing.
About your ideia… well, what can i say, is an amazing ideia, as always. Im not sure if i have photos that are good enough for this porpose, but, anyway, is a fantastic ideia!
I think it would be wise to avoid showing the potential submissions. I wouldn’t want this to turn into another “JPG magazine experience” with thousands of photos and too much blabbing.
Only the final cuts and blabbing from top blabbers ;-) David you’re the Grand Inquisitor Blabber!
A Grand Idea, If you need a hand doing any of the mundane stuff just ask.
I’m with Rene, you don’t want another community forum. That just dillutes both the visibility and the meaning of the work. Just a very restricted portfolio of highlights would do, and that would keep also the interest. Something like the students’ work / workshop section could do. Of course, it’s a lot of work, and there must be ways of reducing the load. What about nominating people? I’m sure that nobody would come up with my name, but I know people I would enjoy seeing here.
Hi David,
Something I have noticed is that you have a lot of ideas (which clearly shows that you are a very creative person and that you strongly believe in this excellent blog) to develop this blog. I have the impression though that the ideas go in all directions. (too many ideas at the same time?) Wouldn’t be better to focus on one or two items and implement them?
Arie
PS: just a suggestion, I love this blog, this is great to have the opportunity to exchange ideas with you.
i know my pics arnt good enough to be selceted…but i am dying to participate…
david…when can we start?
p.s. if you need a site developer…i am here for the community :)
David,
Like everyone else here I think this is a great idea, regardless of the logistics. I think the discussion has already highlighted the many issues to coordinate, so I will just offer that perhaps some of us could volunteer to help as well with the practical aspects of this initiative.
You would be the final judge of any work submitted, of course, but being an admin for a couple of groups on Flickr, I know how much work that is for just one person. And this could be bigger…
If you believe that is a good idea, I am available to help.
Regardless, I’m in!
Cheers,
– GC
hi david,
i’m also a typepad user. i know how to wor with advanced templates with the typepad code tags. so, if you need something that typepad actual templates don’t have. just please send me an email.
cheers,
nelson
hi david,
i’m also a typepad user. i know how to wor with advanced templates with the typepad code tags. so, if you need something that typepad actual templates don’t have. just please send me an email.
cheers,
nelson
hi david,
i’m also a typepad user. i know how to wor with advanced templates with the typepad code tags. so, if you need something that typepad actual templates don’t have. just please send me an email.
cheers,
nelson
hi david,
i’m also a typepad user. i know how to wor with advanced templates with the typepad code tags. so, if you need something that typepad actual templates don’t have. just please send me an email.
cheers,
nelson
first of all, this idea is wonderful. it’s exactly the type of thing that is difficult to do unless you have photogs living down the hall!
i don’t think flickr is really set up for this kind of showcase… the layout isn’t condusive to moving images around or re-sequencing. i don’t know very much about DRR but if it uses lightboxes then it might be the way to go… especially if evan can help get the ball rolling…
and of course, i’m here to help as well.
have fun at the beach!
Super idea David.
I use Digital Railroad and it is a great system, and the service is exelent.
Best
Gunnar
I think Lance is right: Flickr is so open it would just create a lot of chaos around this.
BTW, there’s also cheaper alternatives to DRR if cost becomes an issue, http://www.zenfolio.com is one. I use it as an online archival and backup system and is very cheap. Of course that’s one option, but there’s a lot of choice out there…
GC
David,
Has anyone considered using Lightstalkers galleries? I could be wrong, but I would assume one would have to be a DRR subscriber to upload, unless you would set it up as some sort of open-ended “agency”. I would guess that many of us here already use Lightstalkers, it’s free to join, and a great all-around resource to boot. Entrants could post a link to their gallery (which is limited to 30 images already) and give a brief statement about the work here on the blog.
The most complicated aspect of this idea that I can see is how to best facilitate the critique/communication between you and those individuals posting. Perhaps Lightstalkers would be interested in the idea of allowing “comments” to be made to member galleries? Contact Shinji Kuwayama at LS – he may be keen on it.
Anyway, great idea and I’m looking forward to its inception – whatever form that may be.
JF
Flickr may or may not be the right tool – it depends on how David wants to run this – having seen David edit, he’ll need the most flexible tool available (David, I’m sure Diego will agree with this!)
@lance: have you used the “Organizr” in Flickr? This can be used to sequence, add or delete images in a set. Titles, tags and descriptions can also be batch-edited.
Screenshot: http://tinyurl.com/2goqz4
http://www.flickr.com/help/organizr/
@giancarlo: Flickr photos can have different privacy levels – Public, Visible to friends, Visible to family, or Private.
very good idea, flickr may be a good database, the rest of flickr is some of the most superficial places in the net.
first of all, i thank you for all of these ideas and suggestions ….whichever way i go, the end essays or singles will be “clean” and on a new page of this site…the whole point would be non-cluttered presentation and appreciation of your work…
i am trying to imagine which is better…all of you see all the submissions or all of you just see the final edit….my original thought was that you would just see the final edit….the problem i could imagine with everyone seeing everything, is that the discussions would never be over about what got picked and why….
basically, you are going to have to put trust in me….my only motive will be to make you look good……
if we try to do an online editing class, i am afraid we will get bogged down…that really is one of those things where a real live workshop is best….
remember, you are going to have to become good editors in the first place…there will be a limit on how much you can show me….that is exactly how i do my workshops anyway….
nothing much can happen on this until around the first week in september….my family time goes until the last week of this month and then i go off to korea for two weeks of shooting, then to perpignan, then back to new york where i will have about two weeks to play with this until my “at home w dah” workshop starts….
i can do some things even while i am at the beach, so keep your thoughts coming…
cheers et al, david
ok D(avid Allan Harvey)(bl)og ;-)
Hi, David!
Damn! I cannot go to a rock’n’roll festival without missing the best part of the party! :-) Just joking. But i think it’s time to consider buy me a blackberry or something like that. This place is the most active website i’ve ever known. And i’ve been rolling around internet since its very beginning… Well, but last night Kaiser Chiefs made me dance like i was a kid, and that’s exactly the kind of energy i need to be up to the standards everyone is setting here. Thanks to David.
David, i’m not surprised about this particular idea cause you were heading to it the past few weeks with all the other suggestions of your (our) internet-based photography community. Sending, editing and presenting work online it’s the most reasonable choice for us — you in New York, Aga in Poland, Gunnar in Gjettum and everyone from India to North America — and having someone who really can give us a high class advise it’s simply awesome.
I just didn’t think it would come right now, in the middle of your vacations at the beach. Wow, that’s quite incredible. Not closing the laptop for the next weeks it’s a sign of true bonding.
As for the ideas, i agree with people who don’t like the flickr alternative: too open, too chaotic, even as database. Sure there will bee loads of photographers submitting their works, thinks it’s going to be enough mess to deal with. Also agree with all opinions that you’ll need some help, at least at the bureaucratic front. I can’t help too much since i don’t have many computer skills, but if you need someone to classify entrances, i’m here.
Well, like it seems everyone posted about almost every single issue about the project, i’ve got a suggestion myself. There’s something i would like to see in this virtual portfolio section: random opinions from other photographers. I don’t dismiss yours, David, not at all, please. But if there’s something i learned this past ten months at a school is that photographers have pretty different opinions — sometimes contradictory — about works. It’s like two doctors, examining a typical flu case, that say:
“I think you’ve got something on your liver, boy. Take this pills and forget about beers and scotch from now on!”
“Oh, no, to me it’s something about your knee. Have you been doing heavy exercises or playing football, kid?”
I know this could make it difficult, since it may be hard to find people willing to get involved at the project like you do. Maybe this could happen only at the final stage of the portfolio review, i don’t know. But i’m sure it could be even more exciting than it already is. And “already” means pretty much, believe me.
Best regards.
Hi David.
If you’re looking for a professional-grade service that will do everything you’re looking for, and will allow you to design the pages exactly as you wish (to make them super clean and simple) you should take a good look at PhotoShelter and the Seamless Customization abilities that no other service can touch.
And, since I am one of the founders, I’d be happy to help you out.
— Grover
I dont know enough about the technical side of this sort of thing to make an intelligent comment about it, so I will leave that to others who do know, and just say that I agree with the idea of limiting submissions to a certain set number, perhaps centered on a theme of their own or selected for them by Mr. Harvey. Without some sort of limitations on the number of submissions, I think Mr Harvey will eventually come to feel like the sorcerer’s apprentice trying to turn back a sea of incoming images. And if it’s not fun, then why bother?
Hey Harvey –
I’d say go for Photo Shelter – it is super easy to use! If Grover can do you a favor – that is killer.
I’d love to see how this develops and to contribute to this little online venture. Could be very interesting and hopefully, some fresh new talent will get a chance to show work to a much wider audience.
Great Idea!
Cameron
Daivd, I’ve re-read the comments above, and I think you already have the best plan in which you select representative shot(s) to post in parallel with your comments, on this outstanding blog. Moving this endeavor elsewhere would be counter-productive. It belongs here. It’s a great idea!
Asher
> @giancarlo: Flickr photos can have different privacy levels – Public, Visible to friends, Visible to family, or Private.
Nick, of course, but it would be a bit peculiar to use a site that was created for open/indifferentiated access/traffic to restrict it. also, the email system on Flickr is rudimentary at best, which would make communication very awkward.
In any case, if there were no other options I’d possibly agree with you. With the many different choices that have been brought up here, I think Flickr is the least appealing.
Asher is probably right and this site is, if feasible, the most appealing avenue.
GC
Grover and David … i was useing photoshelter and it’s really nice thing, i agree with you Grover…customization can make it looks as pretty website… btw nice to see you here! :-)
davidalanharvey is ABSOLUTE
Hi Aga! Looking forward to Barnstorm XX? I am! See you there!
— Grover
Grover… nice! :-) There will be also Lance Rosenfield from David’s blog :-)
World seems to be so small :-)
Hi David,
How about starting another entry on the blog to get a rough head count of the number of people interested in this.
Prehaps anyone interested could enter their name, location, interests/subjects. And the number of comments would give you an idea of number of people who would send you work.
So you would have some idea of the scale needed to get this up and running.
Hope your having a fantastic holiday,
All the best,
Pete
hi grover…
i am going to try kite boarding right now, but will check out your site tonight if i survive the former..
you’re gonna be fine
http://unconfirmedsources.com/nucleus/media/3/20070526-Rudy-Kite-Surfing-Accident.jpg
Hola David,
Photoshelter is a great tool.
saludos.
Carlos
Ciao David,
hope you are enjoying your holidays! Just back from my trip to China, and wanted to let you know that your blog is unaccessible from there, not sure if you already knew it!
As you know I spent two weeks in Shanghai, and tried several times to connect to your page (for my daily break from business troubles), but i never succeeded. Internet is heavily censored (especially with news websites), but I am surprised you are too!
a presto
gianluca
Hey David,
As long as you are evaluating professional photo management tools, the comparison wouldn’t be complete if you didn’t throw SmugMug into the mix. http://www.smugmug.com
I work at SmugMug and would love to offer you a free Pro account for life to host this. It could be customized and integrated completely.
Ping me if you are interested.
Markham
Just for fun…how many ways can NG spell the Alan in David Alan Harvey? Click link below to find out. I count three.
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0708/feature4/fieldnotes2.html
I count three, too.
wow! cowboy pilgrimare.. we have something similar in Poland – horse pilgrimare :-) (David…when i will come to NY i will show you some pictures)
I am very much looking forward to participating in whatever it is we are doing! I am noticing conversations about (at least) two different types of submissions…people are mentioning portfolio reviews or “best of our best” work but also being discussed are assignments where we have time to go out and create new work for the site. I hope there is an opportunity for both but if it truly is a one time thing my vote would be for portfolio reviews. Even mini ones. At workshops a portfolio review often starts the relationship between teacher and student…getting to see where we’ve been and what we’ve been doing and where we need to/want to go. I recomment this as the starting place for us as well and from there if it continues new assignments can be given.
Hello, Cathy!
I agree with you. A portfolio review allows us to show what we want to do, what we are able to do at the moment, the way we edit photos, everything at our rhythm. I know it’s different when we receive an assignment, that we’ve got to work against the clock and everything, but i think that at this point we still consider ourselves students, nah?
I think there is also a room for a 3’rd idea. As Chevy Chase said in Three Amigo’s: “PRUNING OUT THE VILLAGERS”
David repeatedly mentions here and there the importance of excluding photos from our portfolios or to show less to be more effective.
The idea is similar to a Portfolio Review but a visual approach could be used. Where in a portfolio review we are expecting words of explanations of what works and what does not with our photography – a visual approach to this would be simply submitting a portfolio of 100 images where the reviewer could simply delete those less effective, repetitive, lousy as related within the framework of the theme. For those who are intuitive and visual learners it might just be a great help and an opportunity to draw conclusions from the excluded work.
I’m glazing over the last paragraph. I hope it’s not too long winded as I’m not going back up there to correct it. ;-)
hi cathy….
i totally understand your thinking about portfolio reviews….they are certainly a part of my teaching process always, but my experience shows me that portfolios have little to do with what a photographer will produce “on demand”….that is in the context of an assignment or commission…
i have seen photographers with great portfolios fall “flat on their face” when confronted with producintg good work “now” and conversely i have seen the most unlikely portfolio “owners” do amazing work on demand…
that is why magazine editors have such a difficult job of picking photographers for assignments….they know well that a photographer with a “great portfolio” does not mean that they have a candidate for an assignment…before they are going to “risk” their funding , they really need to know if someone can produce on demand…just as a champion golfer like tiger woods….sometimes i can hit a shot that looks just like a tiger woods shot…but, not consistently…not under pressure…not day after day…
for one thing, very few photographers know how to edit..including some very famous names you know…..i can “fix” most portfolios quite literally in minutes…
ok, i must rush off now…but i will come back to this topic…
good thoughts cathy..
Dear Mr.Harvey,
since i learn to using internet, i always open up your blog after my office hour. for me,as a newbie in photographi world,who try to learn how to make good photograph, your idea is great.i’ can’t wait to see how it will be grown up.sorry i can not give you any suggestion,and sorry for my not so good english.
with love from indonesia
uyat
David, would it not make sense to merge your blogs into one blog with categories? Just a thought
MAS
I was reading this post again befor uploading pictures and feel I must tell you this:
I like you and the idea is great
Noushin
This is very kind of you. A great idea and I’m sure it’s a lot of work to put up the submissions, but still, I bet it’s worth it. We will appreciate it and take part, I know I will.
– Mattikk